From the Guidelines
Symptoms of mumps typically include fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, and loss of appetite, followed by painful swelling of the salivary glands, particularly the parotid glands located between the ear and jaw. This swelling often causes the characteristic puffy cheeks and tender, swollen jaw. The swelling usually begins on one side before affecting both sides and typically peaks after 1-3 days 1. Other symptoms may include:
- Pain while chewing or swallowing
- Earache
- Dry mouth In post-pubertal males, orchitis (testicular inflammation) occurs in about 20-30% of cases, causing testicular pain and swelling 1. Less common complications include:
- Pancreatitis
- Oophoritis (ovarian inflammation)
- Meningitis
- Encephalitis
- Hearing loss Symptoms typically appear 16-18 days after infection, with the contagious period beginning about 2 days before gland swelling and lasting up to 9 days after symptoms start 1. About 20% of infected individuals remain asymptomatic but can still transmit the virus 1. Mumps is caused by a paramyxovirus transmitted through respiratory droplets and direct contact with infected saliva. A clinical case of mumps is defined as an illness characterized by acute onset of unilateral or bilateral tender, self-limited swelling of the parotid or other salivary gland lasting greater than or equal to 2 days, and without other apparent cause (as reported by a health professional) 1.
From the Research
Symptoms of Mumps
The symptoms of mumps are not explicitly listed in the provided studies. However, the studies discuss the effectiveness and safety of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine in preventing mumps and other diseases.
- The effectiveness of the MMR vaccine in preventing clinical mumps in children is estimated to be between 69% and 81% for the vaccine prepared with Jeryl Lynn mumps strain and between 70% and 75% for the vaccine containing the Urabe strain 2.
- Vaccination with MMR containing the Urabe strain has demonstrated to be 73% effective in preventing secondary mumps cases 2.
- The effectiveness of Jeryl Lynn containing MMR in preventing laboratory-confirmed mumps cases in children and adolescents was estimated to be between 64% to 66% for one dose and 83% to 88% for two vaccine doses 2.
Common Symptoms
Although the provided studies do not explicitly list the symptoms of mumps, common symptoms of mumps include:
- Swelling of the parotid glands (salivary glands located near the ears)
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
Note: These symptoms are not mentioned in the provided studies but are general knowledge about the disease.
Vaccine Safety and Efficacy
The studies discuss the safety and efficacy of the MMR vaccine in preventing mumps and other diseases.
- The MMR vaccine has been shown to be effective in preventing measles, mumps, and rubella, with one dose being at least 95% effective in preventing clinical measles and 92% effective in preventing secondary cases among household contacts 2.
- The vaccine has also been shown to be safe, with no increased risk of serious adverse events, such as autism, asthma, leukemia, hay fever, type 1 diabetes, gait disturbance, Crohn's disease, demyelinating diseases, bacterial or viral infections 2.